The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main 2026 Session 1 commenced on 21 January 2026 with exams conducted in two shifts (9 AM–12 PM and 3 PM–6 PM) across the country. Early live feedback and expert observations offer insight into question paper difficulty, subject trends and answer key expectations as students continue the exam in subsequent shifts.
Live Exam Overview & Guidelines
As the National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts the engineering entrance exam in computer‑based mode, candidates were instructed to strictly follow exam day protocols. All students must carry the JEE Main 2026 admit card, a valid government photo ID and a passport‑size photograph to the exam centre. Biometric verification has been implemented to ensure identity confirmation before entry. Exam centres enforced security checks and frisking procedures with prohibited items including mobile phones and electronic gadgets banned inside the halls. Aspirants are advised to verify all details on their admit cards well in advance to avoid issues on exam day.
Question Patterns & Paper Difficulty
Early reactions from both the morning and afternoon shifts on 21 January suggest varied difficulty across subjects. Students observed that:
- Mathematics was generally the most time‑consuming and calculation‑heavy section, involving deeper numerical problems.
- Physics tended to be balanced in difficulty, with a mix of formula‑based and conceptual questions.
- Chemistry was relatively straightforward and scoring for many candidates.
Memory‑based reports indicate that candidate performance often depended on time‑management strategies and prior exposure to high‑weightage topics from JEE Main syllabi.
Answer Key and Scoring Insights
Unofficial answer keys for JEE Main 2026 Session 1 are being released by coaching institutes and educational news portals shortly after each shift concludes. These keys allow students to compare responses and calculate expected scores using the official marking scheme, where +4 marks are awarded for every correct answer and −1 mark for each incorrect response in multiple‑choice questions. Using early answer key estimates helps candidates forecast their probable raw scores and percentiles, aiding planning for counselling and cut‑off expectations ahead of the NTA’s official answer key and results announcement.
What’s Next: Results & Cut‑Off Trends?
The final results for JEE Main 2026 Session 1 are expected to be released after the complete exam schedule, with official answer keys forming the basis for scorecards and percentiles. Good attempt ranges will be published once all shift data, including memory‑based solutions and analysis, are consolidated. Students preparing for upcoming shifts are advised to review exam guidelines, subject‑wise trends and marking patterns to optimise attempts in remaining sessions and improve their score prospects in this highly competitive engineering entrance test.